Fruit-grading machine



May 1927' A. H. MCINTYRE FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Filed June 29. 1926 3 Shams-Sheet 1 1 627 246 May 1927' A. H. MCINTYRE FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Filed June 29. 1926 SSheets-Sheef 2 flttorney WM h" R Q. Q Q m Q Q mm Q Nu x LJ n k um l fi Q LL u A m m n I v u a m m mN hN u u U T Q V m u m n n N m 1 y 1 B I 3 n w 1 L] m 1 h n 1 v \T IL V T 1 I u u w m" 1 7:? I L n 6 May 1927' A. H. M lNTYR-E FRUI'T GRADING MACHINE 3 SheetS-Sheet 3 Filed June 29. 1926 Attorney Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES .BATENT OFFICE.

ALLAN n. Mem'mnn, 0F winonns'rnn, VIRGINIA.

FRUIT-GRADING- MACHIN Application filed June 29,

This invention relates to grading machines for fruits and vegetables and has for its primary object to facilitate the proper and rapid grading of tender fruit such as peaches and the like in such a manner asto overcome the requirement of separating such fruits by. hand, this expedient being, usually necessary, due to the extreme tenderness of peaches that bec ome so ea .ly bruised as to make substantially impossible to grade the same by machines now in use. I

A. further object of the invention is to provide a grading mechanism wherein fruit and vegetables of greatly varying sizesrnay Y be properly graded, andthis in a simple,

more fully described s'holxvninthe accompanying drawings and claimed; the, drawings wherein like reference characters indicate co throughout the several X1\BW S Z Figure 1 1s a s de elevation of a fllllt grading machine constructed in accordance w ithth e present invention, Fig. 2 is. a top plan view thereof, 7 Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section, and 4 i a i ei ee b qf n e t e r ller, and bar units, a"predetermi'ned number of which areincluded in the const'ruction oi" the present, mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a detail longitucinal one un t of the mach ne.

"New havin aarticular" reference to the 'D 1v i ll r v s ct o drawings, my novel gra ing machine constitutes the provision of a suitable skeleton fraineinelnding pair otlower spaced horz lhe QE- l and 332M 13 hair f cap r p ed. n t i al as 6 same figures. The bars 55 are intercon l d a t i Oppo t e s y c ss ba 744.7} W e" ai uni??? Pn' h d nfl hat are also interconnected their opposite ends by cross bars 8- -8; the ends of the adj aeent upper and lovverbars intercon p ed P r 132 serial howl-19 ,357.

nected by vertical pests 9:9 10-40, therear end posts 9-9 being of considerably greater length than the bars 10-10 as clearly disclosed in said igs. 1 and v Mounted upon the forward end of the frame and at'the top side thereof'is an inclined'slatted hopper 11, tor the fruit or other material being graded. Extending transversely betiveenthe lower and upper i'ranie bars 5 5 and 6-6 respectively, is an i endless "conveyor un t 11 of su table con} struction,preferably consisting of a pair of horizontalside rollers over Winch travel an endless belt, designated respectively 12 and 13, the shafts of the rollers being suitablyjoyurnaled Within the frame and extending outwardly of the forward end thereof, in orderthat said conveyor may be properly driven,

' Extending transversely across the. upper {frame bars a-rethree grading units des ignated generally A, B and C. It is of course-to be understood that I do not desire tobe limited to any'specific number of grading nnitsas a greater or'lesser number may provided, as'the ease demands. Each grading unit is of identical construction, and a description of one will suf {ice for all. Only, it is necessary to mention thatthe transverse rollers 14' ofthe grading units are of gradually decreasing diameter toward the rear end of the machine, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

stitutes theprovision of a'transverse roller 14: mounted upon a shaft 15,; the opposite eridsof which aresuitably ou-rnaled Within bear ngs IS-16 uponthe'top side of the upper horizontal frame bars 6-6. Loosev upon the shaft of the roller directly at the opposite ends of saidv roller are circular plates 17 17 rigidly attached to the periphcries of Which a semi-circular metallic shield 18, for providing apocket one half the circumference of each grading unit when said grading units are in the fruit receiving; position disclosed in Fig. 3. At this point it may be Well to state that said plates-18 of the grading. units are positioned in identical manner with respect to each other.

Upon the innerfaces ofthe plate 17.17'

of each grading unit directly beneath the upper. edge eft'he semi-circular shield 18 are square boxings 19 1Y9 \vithin' which are mountedvbloeks 20 20 upon the opposite ends of a horizontalbarjZl',between which As iustmentioned; each grading unit con and the respective roller 14 the larger fruit will be supported while the smaller fruit will pass therethrough and be caught within the unit pocket provided by reason of the semi-circular metallic shield 18 when the units are in the position disclosed in "the longitudinal cross sectional view, Fig; 3. Ordinarily, the variation in the diameter of the rollers 14 of the various grading units will be sufficient to facilitate the proper grading of the fruit. However, a micrometric adjustment may be made by sliding the various bars 21 of the grading Arranged at .the rear side of each grading unit is a fruit receiving and discharging chute 23 in the form of a metallic plate of a length substantially equivalent to thedistance between the plates 17-17 of each grading unit, the forward edge thereof being arranged between said plates and normally resting upon the complementary roller 14 of 4 the grading unit, as disclosed by the dotted lines in both Figs. 1 and 3.

The opposite edge of each chute is pivotally connected as at 24 in position above the upper frame bar 66, the opposite ends of each chute plate being formedwith vertical walls 2525 outwardly of the plates 1717 of the'respective grading units to prevent the fruit from falling off the ends of the chute plate.

Extending horizontally above the grading unit plates 1717 at opposite sides of the machine, are horizontal arms 26 formed at their opposite ends and at their center with depending fingers 272727 that extend" over the outer sides of the plates and pivotally connected thereto as at 282828. The pivotal connections between the said arm fingers and the disks 1717 of the grading units are at a. point just forwardly of'the upper edge of the respective sei'ni-circular shield 18.

Extending transversely across the rear end posts 99 of the machine frame adjacent the upper end thereof is a horizontal shaft29 equipped at its opposite ends with disks 30-30 one of which is forlnedwith ,gear teeth 31, Fig. 1. Eccentrically pivotxally connected to the outer sides; of these disks are the outer ends of pitman rods 82-32 that are offset inwardly and that are in turn pivotally connected at'their inner ends to the arms 2626. The shaft 29 is equipped with a belt pulley or other suitable means to facilitatethe rotation thereof, and it will at once beapparent that when the disks are rotated in the direction of the ar row in Fig. 1 the end plates 1717 of the grading units, to which are attached the semi-circular shields 18, willbe caused to rotate one-quarter revolution from the fruit receiving posit-ion disclosed in Fig. 3 to the fruit dumping position disclosed in Fg. 1,

and vice versa as indicatedby the arrows in sprocket gears of the two rear units.

Obviously, in operation, and assuming the unitsto be'in the position disclosed in the sectional view, Fig. 3, a row of the fruit will drop from the hopper 10 into the first unit A. The smaller fruit Will fall between the bar 21 and the roller 14 and he caught in the pocket of the unit provided by the semi-circular shield 18. The larger of the fruit will be supported in a position between the bar and the roller as indicated by the dotted lines in said Fig; 3. V The roller 14 of the unit will continuously rotate in the direction of the upper arrow in Fig. 1, for obviously preventing the binding of the fruit between said roller and the stationary bar 21. The rotation of the shaft 29 will cause the pockets of the units to rotate in a clockwise direct-ion to the position disclosed in Fig.1, at which time the fruit resting between the bar 21 and roller 14 will be caught upon the adjacent chute 25. The pockets will then rotate in a couhter-clockwise direction and by reason of laterally. inwardly'extending' pins 3636 upon theinner sides of theunit disks 1717 adjacent the lower edge of the respective semi-circular shield 18, the chute will be raised for causing the fruit caught thereon to discharge into the next unit. and so on to the end of the machine, the smaller fruit in every instance falling be tween the bar 21 and roller 14 of the re spective unit to be caught into the pocket thereof and thence delivered onto'the conveyor 12 when the pockets of the units are rotated in aclockwise direction to the positiondisclosed in Fig. 1.: It will be obvious that when the pockets of the units are in i t m in Past es th fr i m th hopper 10 as well as the chutes 23 will be prevented from dropping therefrom, due to the contact of the same against the semicircular shields 18'which are in close proximity to said hopper and to said chutes; V

A ba k t 1? sui l onv yo ay be disposed beneath the chute 23 at theextreme end of the machine for catching the fruit discharging therefrom. It is preferable that the conveyor 12be operated in a. rapid mannor in order that the fruit will be conveyed away from the units immediately after the 'dischargingof the fruit therefrom, so that when the next supply of fruit is discharged, a free surface across the entire area of the conveyor will be had. In order to v prevent the rolling of the fruit upon the conveyor from beneath one unit to another unit guide slats 3? are arranged in position above the conveyor at points directly forwardly of each unit A,.B and O. These slats being supported by depending brackets. 38

secured to the upper horizontal frame bars 56. i

It will thus beseen that Ihave provided a highly novel, simple and efficient form of fruit grading machlne that iswelladapted for all of the purposes heretofore designated,

and. even thoughI have herein shown and described thismachine consisting of certain details and structural elements, it is nevertheless, to be understood that some 'departures may be had within the spirit and scope of the invention; 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a grading unit for fruit grading machines of the character described, a continuously rotating roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but non-rotatably associated therewith, and a gauge bar arranged in spaced relation with the roller and anchored to the pocket at one of its open sides, and means for rotating the pocket with respect to the roller from a generally horizontal position therebeneath, to a position at one side of the roller and vice versa.

2. In a fruit grading machine of the character described,-a frame, a plurality of grad ing units arranged across the frame in pre determined spaced relation, each of said units being of a continuously rotating roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but non-rotatably associated therewith, and a gauge bar arranged in spaced parallel rela tion with the roller and, anchored to the pocket at one of its sides, and means for rotating the pocket with respect to the roller from a position beneath the roller to a posi ion adjacent one side of the roller and vice versa.

I 3. In a fruit grading machine of the class described, a frame, a plurality of grading units arranged across the frame in predetermined spaced relation, each of said units being of a continuously I d pocket arranged partia ly aroundsaid roller nt non-rotatably associated. therewith; and

a gauge bar arranged; in spaced parallel relat-ion with the roller and anchored to the rotating roller, a

pocket of one of its sides, means for rotatmg the pockets with respect to the roller from-aposition beneath the roller to. a position adjacent one side of the roller and vice versa, and means for catching the graded fruit as the same discharges fromthe pocket when said pocket is moved to theflatter mentioned position, I.

' 4, In a fruitgrading machine of the class described, a frame, a"plur.alitylof grading units arranged acrossthe framein predeterm ned spaced. relat on, each of said units be ngv of a continuously rotating roller, a

pocket arranged partially around said roller but non-rotatably associated therewith and agauge bar arrangedin spaced parallel relation with the roller, and anchored to the pocket ofoneof. its sides, means for rotatng the pockets ,with respect to the roller from a position beneath the roller to a. position adjacent one side of'tlie roller and vice versa, means for catching the graded fruit as the same discharges from the pocket when said pocket ismoved to the latter mentioned position, means for conveying the ungraded fruit from one unit to the other unit.

5.. In a, fruit grading machine of the class described, a frame, a plurality of grading units arranged across the frame in predetermined spaced relation, each of' said units being of a continuously rotating roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but non-rotatably associated therewith, and

a gauge bar arranged in spaced parallel rel Qt) the next unit of the pockets of the units are moved to fruit receiving position.

i 6. In a fruit grading machine of the char acter described, a frame, a plurality of grading units arranged across the frame in predetermined spaced relation, each of said units consisting of a continuously rotating roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but not rotatably associated therewith, and an adjustable gauge bar arranged in predetermined spaced parallel relation with the roller and anchored to the pocket at one of its sides, means for continuously roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but not rotatably associatedthere with, an adjustable gauge bar arranged in predetermined spaced parallel relation with the roller and anchored to the pocket atone of its sides, means for continuously rotating the rollers of the units, means for rotating the pockets of the unit'from a position beneath the respective rollers to a position at one side of the respective rollers, and vice versa, means for so actuating the. rollers and pockets of the units simultaneously, and automatically operable means for delivering the ungraded fruits from one unit toithe other when the pockets'of the units are in fruit receiving position.

8. In a fruit grading machine of the character described, a frame, a plurality of grading units arranged across the frame in predetermined spaced relation, each of said units consisting of a continuously rotating roller, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but not rota-tably associated therewith, an adjustable gauge bar arranged in predetermined spaced parallel relation with the rollerand anchored to the pocket at one of itssides, means for continuously ously, automatically operable meansfor, de 'hvering the ungraded fruits "from one unit to the other when thepockets of the units are in fruitreceivmg position, and means forv conveying the graded fruit dropped from the pocket of the unit and in their last mentioned position outwardly of the machine fram 9'. Ina fruit grading machine of the char"- acter described, a frame, a plurality of grading units'arr'anged across the frame in predetermined spaced relation, each of said units consisting ofa' continuously rotating roller, the rollers of thevarious units being of gradually decreasing diameter towards vthe rear end. of the machine, a pocket arranged partially around said roller but nonrotatablyassociated with the same, and a gauge-bar arranged in spaced parallel relation with the roller anda'nchored to the pocket of one of its open sides, means for continuously rotating the rollersand means "for'rotating the pockets of the units from "a position beneath the rollers to a position at one side of the frame and vice versa.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALLAN MoINTYRE. 

